(We were at the Museum as John and I were sitting on some stools along with Soo Lin at a table and Sherlock standing in front of her)

Soo Lin: You saw the cipher. Then you know he is coming for me.

Sherlock: You've been clever to avoid him so far.

Soo Lin: I had to finish ... to finish this work. It's only a matter of time. I know he will find me.

Sherlock: Who is he? Have you met him before?

Soo Lin (nodding): When I was a girl, living back in China. I recognise his ... 'signature.'

Sherlock: The cipher.

Soo Lin: Only he would do this. Zhi Zhu.

John: Zhi Zhu?

Sherlock: The Spider.

(Putting her right foot up on her opposite knee, Soo Lin unlaces her shoe and takes it off. On the underside of her heel is a black tattoo of a lotus flower inside a circle.)

Soo Lin: You know this mark?

Sherlock: Yes. It's the mark of a Tong.

John: Hmm?

Sherlock: Ancient crime syndicate based in China.

(John nods his understanding and turns back to Soo Lin.)

Soo Lin: Every foot soldier bears the mark; everyone who hauls for them.

(Y/N): "Hauls"?

(She looks up at me. My eyes widens.)

(Y/N): Y-you mean you were a smuggler?

(She lowers her gaze and puts her shoe back on.)

Soo Lin: I was fifteen. My parents were dead. I had no livelihood; no way of surviving day to day except to work for the bosses.

Sherlock: Who are they?

Soo Lin: They are called the Black Lotus. By the time I was sixteen, I was taking thousands of pounds' worth of drugs across the border into Hong Kong. But I managed to leave that life behind me. I came to England.

(She smiles a little.)

Soo Lin: They gave me a job here. Everything was good; a new life.

Sherlock: Then he came looking for you.

Soo Lin: Yes.

(Upset, she swallows before continuing tearfully.)

Soo Lin: I had hoped after five years maybe they would have forgotten me, but they never really let you leave. A small community like ours - they are never very far away.

(She wipes tears from her face.)

Soo Lin: He came to my flat. He asked me to help him to track down something that was stolen.

John: And you've no idea what it was?

Soo Lin: I refused to help.

John (leaning forward): So you knew him well when you were living back in China?

(She nods.)

Soo Lin: Oh yes.

(She looks up at Sherlock.)

Soo Lin: He's my brother.

( I look at Sherlock and so does he and I guess we were both thinking the same thing. He is her brother...so should we catch him or kill him? Well...either way...he is guilty)

Soo Lin: Two orphans. We had no choice. We could work for the Black Lotus, or starve on the streets like beggars. My brother has become their puppet, in the power of the one they call Shan - the Black Lotus general. I turned my brother away. He said I had betrayed him. Next day I came to work and the cipher was waiting.

(Sherlock lays the photographs on the table.)

Sherlock: Can you decipher these?

(Soo Lin leans forward and points to the mark beside Sir William's portrait.)

Soo Lin: These are numbers.

Sherlock: Yes, I know.

Soo Lin (pointing to another photograph): Here: the line across the man's eyes - it's the Chinese number one.

Sherlock (pointing to the first photo): And this one is fifteen. But what's the code?

Soo Lin: All the smugglers know it. It's based upon a book ...

(Just then almost all the lights go out. Soo Lin looks up in dread. Sherlock straightens up and looks around sharply.)

Soo Lin (softly, her face full of terror): He's here. Zhi Zhu. He has found me.

(And Sherlock's off, racing across the room.)

John: Sherlock!

(Y/N): No John stay here with Soo Lin!

(I run after Sherlock but John calls after me again)

John: (Y/N)!

(Y/N): Stay here!

(I run out the door and across a large open foyer with a staircase at each end and a balcony surrounding the floor above. I stop in the middle of the foyer and look around.)

(Y/N): Sherlock!!??

(My voice echoes thruout the empty museum, and suddenly I see a atal figure to grab me from behind. I turn around to see that it was only Sherlock)

(Y/N): Oh God...where'd you run off?

Sherlock: I didn't tell you to follow me! Why are you here!?

(Y/N): Because your an idiot if you think you can take on an assassin all by yourself!!

(From our right, a figure runs across the balcony and fires a pistol at us. Sherlock turns, holds my hand and we run in the opposite direction, knewing that the assailant was till firing the gun, I pushed Sherlock on the floor and he knew why I did that, so he can fling himself to the floor and slide along it to take shelter behind a statue on a low plinth and so did I. The figure fires a couple more times as Sherlock scrambles behind the plinth and I quickly adjust myself next to him to not get shot)

Sherlock: You really have a death wish, don't you?

(Y/N): Oh that's pretty nice of you to say, when I just saved your arse!

(The assailant continues to fire and we also continue to argue)

Sherlock: I didn't ask you to protect me for God's sake!

(Y/N): What do you think part of my job description is when it comes to working with you?!

Sherlock: What? For you to provide me with protection?!

(Y/N): I'm starting to think you need it!

(The shooting finally stops as we hear footsteps running off to the distance. He was running away!)

Sherlock: Well I hope "running" is also part of your job description

(With that he gets up quickly and makes his way to the top floor as I follow him)

We pelt into another display room and the gunman runs out of cover behind him and fires towards us again. Sherlock ducks behind a display cabinet displaying some ancient skulls as I slide on the floor and take cover behind a desk, the figure fires again.)

Sherlock (calling out): Careful!

(The gunman fires again.)

Sherlock (calling out): Some of those skulls are over two hundred thousand years old! Have a bit of respect!

(I look at Sherlock and give him the "What the hell are you saying?" look but he just shrugs)

(We pause for a couple of seconds, breathing heavily.
There are no more gunshots.)

Sherlock: Thank you!

(There's no more sound from the gunman. After a moment Sherlock frowns, then carefully peers through the glass of the case.)

(I look up carefully and see the gunman was nowhere to be found)

(I get up as Sherlock walks over to me)

(Y/N): Where did he go?

Sherlock: *looks around*

(We see John running as fast as he could towards us)

John: Oh my God...are you two okay?

(Y/N): Why are you here? Where's Soo Lin?

John: She's...

(Then we hear another gunshot. Our faces fills with horror as we realized where the gunshot came from. Sherlock runs off towards the gallery room as we follow him desperately)

(We enter the room, looking around to see any signs of the gunman. I make my way around the room when I stop and stare in horror and guilt. Soo Lin lies dead on the table, her outstretched arm revealing a black origami lotus flower in her upturned hand.)

(Seeing the dead body was making me feel....terrible...so terrible to my core that I thought I can't handle it...)

(Sherlock comes to me and turns me around and starts to walk me away from the body as John investigates it)

Sherlock: Come on....let's you out of here

(He says in a quiet soothing tone)

NEW SCOTLAND YARD. John, Sherlock and I are standing a short distance away from Dimmock who has his back to them and is rummaging through paperwork on a desk as if trying to ignore us.

John: How many murders is it gonna take before you start believing that this maniac's out there?

(Dimmock turns and walks in between us, heading for another desk. I turn around and follow him.)

(Y/N): A young girl was gunned down tonight. That's three victims in three days. You're supposed to be finding him.

(Sherlock walks across in front of me to get closer to Dimmock. John steps back and walks a few paces away in exasperation.)

Sherlock: Brian Lukis and Eddie Van Coon were working for a gang of international smugglers - a gang called the Black Lotus operating here in London right under your nose.

(He has leaned closer to Dimmock to emphasise his last point. Dimmock finally looks round to him.)

DIMMOCK: Can you prove that?

(Sherlock straightens up thoughtfully.)

(Later at St.Bart's Hospital, Sherlock leads me across the halls towards the canteen where he said he wanted me to meet someone.)

(We arrive at the canteen and see a woman with brown hair tied up in an elegant bun getting some food)

Sherlock: Molly?

(She turns around and smiles at Sherlock sweetly)

Molly: Sherlock? Haha....what are you doing here?

Sherlock: I want to introduce you to (Y/N) (L/N)

(She smiles at me and shakes my hand)

Molly: Hi there. Molly Hooper

(Y/N): Hi Molly, just call me (Y/N)

Sherlock: Molly, she will be your partner, and since she will be new at all of this, take her thru it all, alright?

Molly: Um...?

Sherlock: *Sighs* I called you...and we talked abt her

Molly: Oh...right...my partner...great to meet you

(Y/N): Wait what?

Sherlock: (Y/N) your going to listen to everything Molly has to say on your path to become a professional and a successful mortician

(Tf?)

(Y/N): Mortician??

Molly: Don't worry! I'll teach you the basics

(I turn to look at Sherlock)

(Y/N): Sherlock, you want me to become a mortician here?? I already work as a part time-

Sherlock: Waitress. Yes I know, that's why I called your manager and told him your resigning

(Y/N): What?!?!? You can't do that! Sherlock....I can't be around dead bodies...

Sherlock: Which is why you need to get used to them. In my world you'll be around dead bodies all the time

(Y/N): Yeah listen but...

(He comes closer to my face and whispers so that Molly couldn't hear us)

Sherlock: And I also know Abt your past

(What.....)

Sherlock: So trust me on this...

(Y/N): Oh God....fine...

Sherlock: Excellent. Do you agree on her working here, Molly?

Molly: *nervous* Yeah...yeah I...have no problem with your... girlfriend working here....hehe...

(Y/N): What?? No we're not-

Sherlock(to Molly): What are you thinking: pork or the pasta?

(Why does he ignore whenever someone says we're a couple???)

Sherlock: This place is never going to trouble Egon Ronay, is it?

(He smiles at her, then nods to the display.)

Sherlock: I'd stick with the pasta. Don't wanna be doing roast pork - not if you're slicing up cadavers.

(Again he smiles at her. She grins nervously.)

Molly: What are you having?

Sherlock: Don't eat when I'm working. Digesting slows me down.

Molly: So you're working here tonight?

Sherlock: Need to examine some bodies.

Molly: "Some"?

Sherlock: Eddie Van Coon and Brian Lukis.

Molly (looking at the clipboard she's holding): They're on my list.

(Sherlock turns puppy-dog eyes on her.)

Sherlock: Could you wheel them out again for me?

Molly (apologetically): Well ... the paperwork's already gone through.

(Sherlock lifts his eyes a little as if noticing something, and points at her hair.)

Sherlock: You've ... changed your hair.

Molly (nervously): What?

Sherlock: The-the style: it's usually parted in the middle.

Molly: Yes, well ...

Sherlock: Mmm, it's good; it, um, suits you better this way.

(Oh hell no...is he taking advantage of her cause she clearly has feelings for him?)

(Once again he wheels out the smile. She returns it, looking both flattered and flustered, then turns away to the display, smiling nervously. Instantly Sherlock's smile drops and he looks impatiently at his watch.)

(I roll my eyes. Why is he a detective? Should've become an actor...)

MORGUE. Later, two body bags are lying on adjacent tables. Molly, wearing latex gloves, unzips the top of one of the bags and pulls the sides apart to reveal the face of Brian Lukis. Sherlock leads Dimmock and me into the room.

Sherlock: We're just interested in the feet.

Molly (frowning): The feet?

Sherlock: Yes. D'you mind if we have a look at them?

(Smiling at her, he leads Dimmock to the other end of the body bag. Molly follows him and unzips the bag at that end, pulling the sides back to reveal the bottom of Lukis' feet. On the bottom of the right heel is a tattoo identical to the one which Soo Lin showed us earlier. Sherlock straightens up, a smug expression on his face, and walks over to the other table.)

Sherlock: Now Van Coon.

(We follow him to the second table and Molly unzips the other body bag. Van Coon has an identical tattoo on his right heel. Dimmock sighs silently.)

Sherlock: Oh!

Dimmock (awkwardly): So ...

Sherlock: So either these two men just happened to visit the same Chinese tattoo parlour or I'm telling the truth.

Dimmock (sighing in resignation): What do you want?

Sherlock: I want every book from Lukis' apartment and Van Coon's.

Dimmock: Their books?

221B. Later at Sherlock's flat, the three of us enter the living room. The boys take off their coats and puts them on their chairs while I put mine on the couch. John sits down on his chair and I make my way to sit on Sherlock's. John gives me the signal to not to sit on Sherlock's chair as if I will die. Sherlock was standing looking at the graffiti, but he turns around to see that I was sitting on his chair)

(Y/N): Oh sorry...I can- *tries to get up*

Sherlock:*quickly* It's fine

John: What? You don't ever let anyone sit on your chair, not even me!

Sherlock: It's just a chair John

(Okay....)

(There was an awkward silence but Sherlock, thankfully, broke it)

Sherlock: Not just a criminal organisation; it's a cult. Her brother was corrupted by one of its leaders.

John: Soo Lin said the name.

Sherlock: Yes, Shan; General Shan.

John: We're still no closer to finding them.

Sherlock: Wrong. We've got almost all we need to know. She gave us most of the missing pieces.

(He looks at us, waiting for us to agree. When me and John say nothing, he impatiently explains.)

Sherlock: Why did he need to visit his sister? Why did he need her expertise?

John: She worked at the museum.

Sherlock: Exactly.

(Y/N) (finally catching up): An expert in antiquities. Mmm, of course. I see.

Sherlock: Valuable antiquities, (Y/N). Ancient Chinese relics purchased on the black market. China's home to a thousand treasures hidden after Mao's revolution.

John: And the Black Lotus is selling them.

(Sherlock tilts his head as he has an idea.)

Sherlock: I have an idea

(And so did I)

(Y/N): I already had it

(I get up from Sherlock's chair and head towards their kitchen and sit at the dining table and open Sherlock's laptop. Sherlock looked a bit surprised, possibly thinking how we got the same idea)

(I open the Crispians' website for recent auctions, auctions not Chinese and other Asian works of art. Both John and Sherlock lean over my shoulder from both sides to look at the screen)

Sherlock: Check for the dates

(I point to a particular auction lot - two Chinese Ming vases.)

(Y/N): Sherlock? Here...

Sherlock: Hmm...

(Y/N): Arrived from China four days ago.

(Sherlock runs his finger down the details on the screen and looks at the Sale Information at the bottom which includes the statement "Source - Anonymous.")

Sherlock: Anonymous. Vendor doesn't give his name. Two undiscovered treasures from the East.

John: One in Lukis' suitcase and one in Van Coon's.

(I move to the Quest search site and type into the search bar, narrating as I do so, although I actually type the word "Chinese" first.)

(Y/N) : ... antiquities sold at auction.

(The results list comes up.)

Sherlock: Look, here's another one.

John: Mmm.

Sherlock: Arrived from China a month ago: Chinese ceramic statue, sold four hundred thousand.

John (consulting Lukis' diary after he spots another entry on the screen): Ah, look: a month before that - a Chinese painting, half a million.

Sherlock: All of them from an anonymous source. They're stealing them back in China and one by one they're feeding them into Britain.

John: Huh.

(He looks at Lukis' diary again and then at the printout of Van Coon's calendar.)

John: And every single auction coincides with Lukis or Van Coon travelling to China.

Sherlock: So what if one of them got greedy when they were in China? What if one of them stole something?

(Y/N): That's why Zhi Zhu's come.

(Mrs Hudson knocks on the open door of the living room.)

Mrs Hudson: Ooh-ooh!

(We turn to her.)

Mrs Hudson: Sorry. Are we collecting for charity, Sherlock?

Sherlock: What?

Mrs Hudson: A young man's outside with crates of books.

Shortly afterwards, two uniformed police officers are carrying in yet another plastic crate to add to the many which have already been dumped in the living room.

Sherlock: So, the numbers are references.

John: To books.

Sherlock: To specific pages and specific words on those pages.

John: Right, so ... fifteen and one: that means ...

Sherlock: Turn to page fifteen and it's the first word you read.

John: Okay. So what's the message?

Sherlock (snarkily): Depends on the book. That's the cunning of the book code. Has to be one that they both owned.

(I look round despairingly at the many many crates in the room, each either labelled "Van Coon" or "Lukis.")

(Y/N): Okay, right. Well, this shouldn't take too long, should it?

(I go over to the nearest crate and flip open the lid, sighing tiredly when I see the amount of books inside. Sherlock opens another crate and starts taking out books, looking at the cover of each one. John takes a handful from his crate and carries them over to the dining table and sits down. Dimmock walks in and holds up an evidence bag to Sherlock.)

Dimmock: We found these, at the museum.

(He shows the bag to John. It contains the photographs of the cipher which Sherlock had been showing to Soo Lin.)

Dimmock: Is this your writing?

(Y/N): Yeah well...

John (taking the bag): Uh, we hoped Soo Lin could decipher it for us. Ta.

(Dimmock nods and turns back to Sherlock, who is still unloading his crate.)

Dimmock: Anything else I can do? To assist you, I mean?

Sherlock (without looking up): Some silence right now would be marvellous.

(Dimmock stares at him, then looks across to me, I shake my head apologetically. Biting his lip and trying not to cry at not being allowed to play with the big boys, Dimmock turns and leaves the room.)

(Time goes on and Sherlock keeps on adding piles of book on the table in front of the couch for me to see as I sigh tiredly. I toe up my hair in a pony tail, fold my sleeves and get to work. It's unbelievable how I got here. I mean like a week ago I was serving coffee around to people in the cafe where I worked and now I'm trying to decipher a secret message thru a code in the flat of the consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. Won't Beth be thrilled to hear Abt this?)

(Ah speak of the devil)

(Beth starts to call my phone and I reject it. Sherlock looks at me for a brief moment before going back to check the books again)

Time moves on and now the daylight is even brighter outside. Books are scattered everywhere over the table and the floor and some of the crates have been shifted about. As Sherlock runs his fingers through his hair and then looks around at the crates and sighs, an alarm goes off on John's watch. He looks at it and then out of the window as if to confirm that it really is the morning. He sighs tiredly and buries his head in his hands.)

(I yawn loudly, throwing some of the books on the floor and sigh deeply. God...I need sleep...I need it...)

(After half an hour, John leaves the flat, probably went for his job at the clinic. Thank God my one in Bart's starts a few days later.)

(Sherlock, energetic as ever, concentrates on each book as he riffles thru the crates, pulling out more books)

(I sigh again and like down on the comfortable couch and before I know it. I was asleep like a baby)

(I open my eyes slowly as they were still heavy, and look at the books on the floor. Sherlock was still standing there, going thru the books. I turn my head to look out the window and it was dark.
I slept thruout the entire day? Has he been doing this all day??)

(I get up slowly, only to realize that something was covering me. It was Sherlock's coat, put on me like a blanket. I look at Sherlock, but he still hasn't noticed me awake)

(Did he put the coat on me when I fell asleep? I don't see John anywhere)

(Y/N): *Yawns* Hey Sherlock....

Sherlock: You slept long...

(Y/N): Trust me...I needed it

(I take the coat on my hand and put it beside me)

(Y/N): Did you put your coat on me?

(Sherlock, still looking at the books, answers in a quite hesitating voice)

Sherlock: Well...it was getting cold

(Y/N): Oh...thanks..

(He nods silently)

(This is weird ..why is he being so nice all of a sudden?)

(I get up from the couch and stretch my arms)

(Y/N): Do you sleep? Like at all??

Sherlock: Not when I have a Chinese killer to catch

(Y/N): Right...

(Finally he stops looking at the books and turns to face me, slowly)

Sherlock: How are you feeling?

(Y/N): Bit better...yeah..

Sherlock: Right....

(He has a certain look on his face like he wants to say something but isn't sure whether to say it or not, till he opens his mouth)

Sherlock:*quietly* I'm sorry....

(Y/N): What? Why?

Sherlock: Well...risked your life twice, made you work to the point you felt absolutely exhausted. And for not telling you that I called your manager to say you resigned

(Y/N): Oh Sherlock....I know what being with you means...of course there's danger...I do read John's blog, you know. None of that was your fault, I chose to be there. And as for that job...I'm glad you did that

Sherlock*surprised*: Your...glad?

(Y/N): Come on...between serving latte's to strangers in a small cafe or hunting down criminals and solving secret codes? Of course I chose you...

(Shit...did I just say
"I chose you" well I hope he knows what I actually mean...and not....that)

(Sherlock's eyes widen just a little in shock but he looks relieved too)

Sherlock: Good choice

(He says with a smirk and I smile a little too)

(John enters the flat as we turn to him)

Sherlock: I need to get some air. We're going out tonight.

John: Actually, I've, er, got a date.

(He smiles smugly.)

Sherlock: What?

(Y/N): Great...with Sarah?!

John: Yeah...

Sherlock: What??

John: It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun.

Sherlock: That's what I was suggesting.

JOHN: No it wasn't ... at least I hope not.

Sherlock (looking sulky): Where are you taking her?

John: Er, cinema.

Sherlock: Oh, dull, boring, predictable.

(I turn to John and give him our famous "Ignore him" look)

(Sherlock a piece of paper from his trouser pocket as he walks across to John, and lowers his head to hide a smug smile before handing it to him.)

Sherlock: Why don't you try this?

(John takes it and looks at the piece of paper, which is the strip of poster that Sherlock tore off the wall during the search for the yellow paint. The poster advertises the Yellow Dragon Circus and gives the telephone number of the Box Office.)

Sherlock: In London for one night only.

(John chuckles, then offers the paper back to Sherlock.)

John: Thanks, but I don't come to you for dating advice.

(But nonetheless John takes it and leaves the flat. And I already knows that he's taking Sarah there after all)

Sherlock: Come on, let's go

(Sherlock says and he puts on his coat and scarf)

(Y/N): No no no I'm not helping you gate-crash John's date. Leave him alone for one night, would you?

Sherlock: *Sighs* I wasn't intending to. I'm asking you go as mine

(Y/N): Your what?

Sherlock: My date, of course

(Y/N): We're also going there? You have something planned don't you?

Sherlock: Always

(Y/N): And I'm having the feeling he's not gonna like it...

Sherlock: Probably not

(He goes near the door, stops and looks at me)

Sherlock: Well??

(I sigh and take my coat and scarf as we head out together)

(After a ride in a cab, we were standing in front of the circus)

(Y/N): Either it's a really big coincidence that the circus is based on Chinese or John's going to murder you for sabotaging his date night

Sherlock: Relax would you....

(Y/N): You think Zhi Zhu is in there?

Sherlock: One way to find out

(He holds out his arm as if he wants me to take it and I look at him questionably)

Sherlock: *Sighs* For goodness sake, we need to look like an ordinary couple and not two detectives trying to catch Chinese killers. Are you with me or not?

(I take his arm)

(Y/N): Uh huh

Sherlock: John must already be inside with Serena

(Y/N): .....Sarah

Sherlock: Whatever

(Y/N): Well...are we going to do this, Detective?

Sherlock: Let's go

(He says as we walk inside the circus)

(Some people were staring at us in awe and I don't really know why but of course, Sherlock couldn't care any less)

(We saw Sarah and John talking to a man behind the counter)

MANAGER: Actually, I have four in that name.

John: No, I don't think so. We only booked two.

Sherlock : And then I phoned back and got two more for myself and (Y/N) as well.

(John looks up in disbelief, looks at me and I only shrugged apolegitically and he turns as Sherlock walks over to them, looking at Sarah. He offers her his hand.)

Sherlock: I'm Sherlock.

(Sarah glances at John momentarily, then turns back to the new arrival and shakes his hand a little nervously. John turns away in exasperation.)

Sarah: Er, hi.

Sherlock: Hello.

(Y/N): Hey...I'm (Y/N)

(Sarah looks at me and smiles and shakes my hand as well)

( Sherlock gives her his fake smile, then instantly turns and walks away.)

(Not long afterwards, the boys have gone off an are waiting somewhere while Sarah and I visit the ladies' washroom. She was washing her hands as I check thru my phone a little)

Sarah: So...are you and John? You know....

(Y/N): What?? Oh no no. Just friends

Sarah: Oh sorry...of course...your with him. Sherlock, right?

(Okay...why does ppl assume this?)

(Y/N): Nope...not him either...

Sarah: Oh...I thought we were gonna have a double date

(Y/N): Eh...That's one way to put it

(I can't tell her anything Abt the whole Zhi Zhu thing)

(Y/N): Well? Let's go then

Sarah: Yep

(Sarah and I laugh a little while she tells me how John fell asleep at the clinic as we saw John and Sherlock, possibly arguing Abt something)

(We get close enough to them when John shouts out)

John (losing his patience and talking much louder): ... while I'm trying to get off with Sarah!

(Oh gosh...)

(John turns to us and pretends like nothing happened)

John: Heyyy....

(Rolling his eyes, Sherlock turns and heads up the stairs.)

John(to Sarah): Ready?

Sarah: Yeah!

(Then we follow Sherlock up the stairs.)

In the performance area there's a stage on one side of the large hall and the curtains are closed. However, it seems that the stage is not going to be used: a circle of candles has been laid out in the middle of the floor, about thirty feet in diameter. The room is dimly lit. The patrons are gathering around the circle but there are no seats. Apparently the number of tickets has been limited and there's room for everyone to stand around the circle with a clear view. Sarah and John stand side by side while Sherlock and I stand behind them with their back on us, looking all around the room and peering up to the ceiling. John talks quietly over his shoulder to his flatmate, turning his head away from Sarah so that she can't hear.

John: You said circus. This is not a circus. Look at the size of this crowd. Sherlock, this is ... (he grimaces with distaste) ... art.

Sherlock (quietly over his shoulder): This is not their day job.

John: No, sorry, I forgot. They're not a circus; they're a gang of international smugglers.

(Y/N): Shhh...both of you

(The performance begins with someone tapping out a rhythm on a tiny hand drum. Sherlock turns to face the same way and John looks over his shoulder at him. Sherlock quirks an eyebrow at him as I gave them both the look to shut up. An ornately costumed Chinese woman with a heavily painted face - traditionally known as the Opera Singer - walks into the centre of the circle and looks imperiously out at the audience before raising a hand in the air. The drummer finishes his riff. The Opera Singer walks across the circle to a large object covered with a cloth which she now pulls back to reveal an antique-looking crossbow on a stand. She picks up a long thick wooden arrow with white feathers at one end and a vicious metal point at the other and shows it to the audience before fitting it into place in the crossbow. Straightening up, she pulls a single small white feather from her headdress and again shows it to the audience. On the rear of the crossbow is a small metal cup and she gently drops the feather into it. Instantly the arrow is released and whizzes across the room. Sherlock's head whips around to follow its flight while John and Sarah are still gasping at the sound of the arrow's release. By the time they look round a moment later, the arrow is embedded in a large painted board on the other side of the circle. Sarah turns to John and laughs, dramatically putting her hand over her heart.
Instrumental music begins, and the audience applauds as a new character enters the circle, wearing chainmail and an ornate head mask. He holds his arms out to the sides and two men come over and start to attach heavy chains and straps to him, strapping his now-folded arms in front of him and then backing him up against the board and starting to chain him to it.)

Sherlock (softly): Classic Chinese escapology act.

(We all turn to him.)

John: Hmm?

Sherlock: The crossbow's on a delicate string. The warrior has to escape his bonds before it fires.

(The Opera Singer loads another arrow into the crossbow. The men attach more padlocks and chains and one of them pulls a chain tight, yanking the warrior's head back against the board. The warrior cries out. The men loop the chains through solid rings attached to the board and secure the warrior, who cries out again. Once they've finished, they step away. The music begins building in intensity and cymbals crash unexpectedly. Sarah jumps, clutching at John's arm.)

Sarah: Oh, Gawd! I'm sorry!

(Sherlock rolls his eyes at them as I elbowed him...for the second time ever)

(She laughs in embarrassment, taking his arm with her other hand as well. John laughs with her, then smiles delightedly as she lets go with her more distant hand but continues to hold onto his arm with the other. The Opera Singer picks up a small knife and displays it to the audience.)

Sherlock (softly): She splits the sandbag; the sand pours out; gradually the weight lowers into the bowl.

(The Opera Singer does just what Sherlock predicted - she reaches up to a small sandbag hanging on a long cable and stabs the knife into the bottom of the sack. Sand begins to pour out, and the warrior repeatedly cries out with effort as he tugs at his chains. The sandbag's cable is looped over a pulley and a metal ball is attached to the other end. As the sand continues to pour out of the bag the weight lowers towards the bowl at the back of the crossbow. The warrior gets one hand free. John is watching the weight lower, and Sarah now looks nervously at it as it crosses paths with the sandbag on its way up. They turn to look at the warrior as he gets his other hand free and starts tugging at the chains around his neck. The weight is now only a few feet above the bowl and Sarah clings tightly to John's arm, grimacing. Sherlock was poker faced as I concentrated at the act. The warrior cries out again as he pulls at his chains and the weight gets ever closer. As it almost reaches the lip of the bowl the warrior loosens the chains around his neck and struggles to free himself.

The weight touches the bowl and the arrow streaks across the room. With a split second to spare, the warrior pulls free of the chains and ducks down and the arrow thuds into the board. The warrior cries out triumphantly as the audience begins to applaud. Sarah gasps in relief.)

Sarah: Thank God.

John: My God!

(The warrior stands up and takes the applause. Still clapping, I looks to my right , but Sherlock has vanished. I look around the hall but can't see him anywhere.)

OPERA SINGER: Ladies and gentlemen, from the distant moonlight shores of the Yangtze River, we present for your pleasure the deadly Chinese bird-spider.

(As she walks away, a masked acrobat descends from the ceiling, rolling through the air as the broad red band wrapped around his waist unravels. The audience applauds and he stops a couple of feet above the ground, holding his body parallel to the floor.)

John (to Sarah): Did you see that?!

(I smile as John was excited. At least he was having a good time. I don't understand why Sherlock left me here to be the third wheeler. I've never been more desperate before for a murderous Chinese man to attack me)

(Descending to the floor, the acrobat removes the band from around his waist and splits it, revealing that it's made up of two strips of material which he now wraps around his arms and then runs around the circle before taking his weight on the bands, lifting into the air and flying around in a circle several feet above the ground, the red bands soaring out behind him. Sarah and John - and presumably the rest of the audience - stare up open-mouthed. )

(Suddenly I notice the curtains at the back of the performance area moving constantly and I see a struggling Sherlock falling down on the floor and a psychotic man attacking him)

( John is on the move straightaway, running towards the warrior as he raises a knife and prepares to plunge it downwards. John charges straight into him, pushing him back against the edge of the stage but the warrior lashes out with one foot, sending John stumbling across the room. )

(That's when I decide to run towards the fight and managed to give my best 360° kick right at the attacker's head as he falls down. But he pulls my legs making me fall down as well and then kicks me in the stomach as I gasped out in pain. He picks me up by holding my neck and says)

Attacker: *pants* You know karate, Missy?

(Y/N): It's not Karate, bitch

(I twist his arm, making his face come closer. I make my hand into a fist ready to punch his teeth out)

(Y/N): It's Cobra Kai

(And I smack his face as hard as I could)

(Shit....that hurt)

(But he picked me up and threw me far away as I crashed on the ground)

(I see John struggling to get up and the assassin taking a sword in his hand and going towards Sherlock who still couldn't get up from the floor.)

Sarah: (Y/N)!!!!

(I turn around and see Sarah with the large arrow she pulled from the painted board. She throws the arrow at me as I catch it. I crouch down and take my position as I turned towards the assailant. He raises his sword to plunge it into Sherlock, and that's when I threw the arrow at his back with full force and concentration. The arrow penetrates in his back as he screams out, drops the sword from his hand and falls on the ground)

(I breathe heavily witnessing the sight of the man who I just killed...)

Sherlock finally sits up and leans forward to the warrior's right foot, pulling off his shoe to reveal a Tong tattoo on his heel. John has finally managed to turn around, though he's almost doubled over in pain and is still trying to catch his breath. As Sherlock scrambles to his feet John grabs Sarah's hand and starts to pull her towards the exit.)

(Sherlock stands up and looks at me and at the body of the assassin, a look full of surprise filled his face as he realized I killed the man with an arrow. He runs towards me and grabs my hand)

JOHN (almost voicelessly): Come on.

(Sherlock and I race off ahead of them.)

Sherlock: Come on! Let's go!

NEW SCOTLAND YARD. D.I. Dimmock storms into the office, followed by the boys and I and a rather bewildered Sarah.

Dimmock is clearly not in a good mood.

Dimmock: I sent a couple of cars. The old hall is totally deserted.

Sherlock: Look, I saw the mark at the circus - that tattoo that we saw on the two bodies: the mark of the Tong.

Dimmock: You..

(Dimmock looks at me with a serious expression and I take a step back)

(Y/N): Yes?

Dimmock: I'm presuming the dead body there....you killed him?

(Y/N): Well...yes..but

Sherlock: He was Abt to kill me

Dimmock: But she did kill him

Sherlock: It's called self-defense, Inspector

Dimmock: We can't let her get away, Lestrade asked-

Sherlock: Well you can tell Lestrade that she saved my life

(Sherlock says that a little loudly while John and Sarah are shook to see Sherlock protecting me...as am I)

(Dimmock sighs has reached his desk and has turned to face the boys.)

John: Lukis and Van Coon were part of a-a smuggling operation. Now, one of them stole something when they were in China; something valuable.

Sherlock: These circus performers were gang members sent here to get it back.

Dimmock: Get what back?

(Sherlock bites his lip, looking away angrily.)

John (hesitantly): We don't know.

Dimmock: You don't know.

(Sherlock still won't meet his eyes.)

Dimmock: Mr Holmes ...

(Dimmock sits down on his chair)

DIMMOCK: I've done everything you asked. Lestrade, he seems to think your advice is worth something.

(Sherlock lifts his head and gives a faint but proud smile.)

Dimmock: I gave the order for a raid. Please tell me I'll have something to show for it - other than a massive bill for overtime.